There were times when I felt less like my planet’s representative to the galaxy and more like a B-movie celebrity. Most events at UnionCon were at least nominally about promoting goodwill between the systems of the Galactic Union. The meet-and-greet, on the other hand, was primarily about signing autographed photos for groupies. Yes, I had groupies.
Category: Short Stories
Short standalone stories for your enjoyment. You’re welcome
Rules of Engagement, Part 2
This is the conclusion of a two-part story. If you’ve not read Part 1, you can link to it here. Search Ada gaped at the Denebian vessel. “How does it fly without wings or propellers? It’s too small to be an airship.” “It’s hard to explain in layman’s terms,” said Luken. “The engines manipulate gravity…Read More…
Rules of Engagement, Part 1
Ada Stein will be a familiar character to anyone who has already read A Time to Build, the first book in the Umea Bakearen series. I was only marginally aware of Ms. Stein’s history when I introduced her character, and when I discovered who she really was, I decided to dig deeper and learn as much as I could about her.
Asylum
This story first appeared in Captain’s Log, an anthology of sci-fi tales by members of the Facebook group The Dragon’s Rocketship. Dab stepped out into the warmth of the Denebian sunlight and contemplated her future. This place wasn’t home, but it was decidedly better than living on a Bhetangu conglomerate orbiting a dead planet. Assuming…Read More…
Grin and Bear It
“We need to stop, Jake. Now. Before we go too far.” Jake rolled back to his side of the bed. “Did I do something wrong? I thought you were okay with this.” Chloe hugged herself and sat up. “I thought so, too. I love you, Jake. God knows I want you as bad as you…Read More…
Friday the 13th
The story you are about to read is true. Names have been changed to protect the innocent from hostile spells. Working with magic is dangerous. Any force that has the power to alter reality, split dimensions, and bend space ought to be handled with a healthy level of respect. Almost every mage alive knows—well, knew—someone…Read More…
The Ground is Alive
Fear is often our first reaction to things we don’t understand. Sometimes, those things don’t understand us, either. Miles Lewis sat in Hendrickson’s office, trying to ignore the stink of the man’s cigarette smoke and focus on the recording of the survey team’s final transmission. The video was too snowy to make out anything, even…Read More…